Vegan fish tacos with chipotle crema

It’s reached that point in the winter where my reserves for its challenges are depleted. I know I shouldn’t complain, because this year has been mild. There’s been very little snow and very little shoveling to go with it. But when I look out the window, and it’s another gray day, and the branches are still bare, it works on my psyche.

The whole house seems to feel it. Avon is a very playful cat by nature, and even with toys aplenty, he’s going stir-crazy. He has instead amped up his sudden bolts and jumps onto the very mature Jezebel. They get along so much better when the sun deck is warm (as evidenced here, here, and here). Plus, Avon can amuse himself watching the chipmunks who come to visit and the groundhog who wobbles across the yard. Alas, they’re still hibernating.

It’s supposed to warm up this week, and that will really help. In the meantime, I’m wishing that I was on the beach at a cabana, palm trees swaying, the ocean lulling me to relax… My skin would be warm and tan from the day, and I’d tip my head back to enjoy a Mexican beer with lime juice still sticky on the rim. Chips, freshly made salsa, and guacamole in a molcajete would not go amiss. And for the main course – fishless tacos with chipotle crema.

Vegan fish tacos

With no cabana in sight, these crispy fishless filets were made by way of Gardein and stuffed into corn tortillas with romaine, onions, and avocado. (They’re also great with the crabless cakes, by the way.) Cilantro and a drizzling of chipotle crema finishes them off.

The bulk of the crema comes together with cashews and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can pick up the canned peppers next to the jarred salsas and packaged tortillas in most grocery stores. The 7 ounce cans are usually a couple of dollars. You’ll need just two peppers for this recipe. Put the remaining peppers and sauce in a container in the refrigerator for later use. (These sweet potato and black bean tacos, perhaps?)

You may recall I made these vegan fish tacos recently for my What Vegans Eat post, and there were requests for the chipotle crema that I made on the fly. So I made the dish again, this time noting the amounts. I wrote the recipe to make 6 tacos since that’s how many filets come in a package of Gardein. However, it’s easy enough to pull only as many filets as you need from the bag and reduce the rest of the ingredients accordingly.

I recommend making the full batch of crema, however. One, if you get the amounts too small, it won’t blend as well since it will go below the blade. Two, the crema is great in other dishes. Try it drizzled over sweet potato & black bean hash.

If it’s warm and beautiful where you live, go outside today and feel some of that delicious sun on your skin. And if not, you’re welcome to join me in my imaginary cabana, where the margaritas always have a salted rim, and the tacos are covered in crema.

Whisk yourself to a beachside cabana with these vegan fish tacos drizzled with chipotle crema. The spicy crema pairs beautifully with the crunchy, mild filets. Squeeze on a bit of lime juice just before taking your first bite.

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Ingredients

For the tacos

6 Gardein fishless filets

6 soft corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups chopped green leaf lettuce or Romaine

3 Tablespoons chopped onions

2 avocados, pit removed and sliced

Cilantro, chopped (garnish)

1 lime, sliced (for serving)

For the chipotle crema

1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon raw cashews

3/4 cup water (plus extra for soaking, if not using a high-speed blender)

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce* (from 7 oz. can)

1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can

1 teaspoon agave syrup

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

To make the tacos

Cook the Gardein fishless filets according to the directions on package.

In a skillet, warm the corn tortillas one at a time for about 1 minute on each side on a medium heat. After each tortilla has been warmed on both sides, move it to a plate and cover with a clean dish towel to keep them pliable until serving.

Once the filets are fully cooked, remove from oven and slice the filets in four pieces on a bias. Put one sliced filet in each tortilla and stuff with green leaf lettuce, onions, sliced avocado, and a sprinkling of cilantro. Drizzle each taco with chipotle crema and serve with lime slices.

To make the chipotle crema

If you don't have a high speed blender, soak the cashews in water for several hours, and then drain. If you have a high speed blender, you can skip this step.

Refrigerate the sauce in a covered container until ready to serve. The crema will thicken as it cools. It will be best at 24 hours. (If you are serving the crema right away and don't have time, try reducing the amount of water by a tablespoon.)

Cuisine: Vegan |Recipe Type: Tacos

Notes

*This crema is on the spicy side, which works well with the mild filets. However, if you are spice averse, either remove the seeds from the peppers before blending or use only one pepper.

I'm so ready for spring, as I'm sure you are, too! We had a super mild February and now with Spring right around the corner, Mother Nature has decided to give us one last taste of winter! It's cold and we've had snow flurries...it's starting to wear on me now!
But, back to these delicious tacos!!!! YUM! That chipotle crema is calling my name. I am so bummed that I didn't check this recipe sooner because tonight is taco night and I'm missing a couple ingredients to make the crema. Definitely next week!!! Those fish tacos look wonderful and it's kind of creepy how much it looks like the real thing!

Flurries and snow when it's supposed to spring are the hardest on the spirit. There have been years when the daffodils have bloomed and then been covered in a layer of snow. So disheartening!
I hope you enjoy the tacos! Let me know how it goes! Yes, Gardein really nailed the look, feel, texture, and taste with the fishless filets. That's either good or bad, depending on how you feel about realistic vegan meats. :)